(AP) – A listeria food poisoning outbreak that has killed three people and caused the loss of a pregnancy is linked to chicken fettuccine alfredo products that are ready to heat and serve and were recently recalled from the market, sold at Kroger and Walmart stores, federal health officials said.
The outbreak, which includes at least 17 people across 13 states, began last August, officials said Tuesday night.
FreshRealm, a major food producer with headquarters in California, Georgia, and Indiana, is pulling products manufactured before June 17. The recall includes these items that were shipped to retail stores:
— 32.8-ounce (929-gram) trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Tender Fettuccine Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, and Grated Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 27 or earlier.
— 12.3-ounce (348-gram) trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Tender Fettuccine Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli, and Grated Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 26 or earlier.
— 12.5-ounce (354-gram) trays of Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Grilled White Meat Chicken and Parmesan Cheese, with best-by dates of June 19 or earlier.
The type of listeria bacteria linked to the outbreak has been detected in people who have fallen ill from August through May, health officials said. The same strain that sickened people was found in a sample of chicken fettuccine alfredo during a routine inspection in March. That product was destroyed and never sent to stores. Officials said they have not identified the specific source of the contamination.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials said the agency is investigating the outbreak and plans to release more details. It was not clear which states are involved or where the deaths and the pregnancy loss occurred.
Consumers should not eat the products, which may be in their refrigerators or freezers. They should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.
Listeria infections can cause severe illness, particularly in older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and those who are pregnant or their newborns. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures.
About 1,600 people get sick each year from listeria infections, and about 260 die, the CDC said. Federal officials in December said they were updating protocols to prevent listeria infections after several high-profile outbreaks, including one linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that led to 10 deaths and more than 60 illnesses last year.
